How to Add Someone to Your Credit Card to Improve Their Credit Score

by Mallory Malesky

If you have a good credit score, adding someone to your credit card can improve his credit score.

A good credit score makes it easier to get approved for mortgage and vehicle loans and standard consumer credit cards. Your credit score is based on your payment and length of credit history and the types of credit and loans you have in your name. Paying your bills on time and using your credit wisely helps to improve your credit score, however a few mistakes can lower the score. If you have a family member or friend who needs help to improve her credit score, you can add her as an authorized user to a credit card.

Contact your credit card company to see if it allows authorized users to be added. Inquire about how the company reports this information to the credit bureaus. Not all credit card companies will report positive credit activities for you and the authorized user.

Complete the application to add an authorized user. Many card companies have this form available on their website or it can be requested by mail. You will need the user's full name, Social Security number and address.

Wait for the card company to review the application and approve it. If you requested that the new user to be issued a card, it will come in the mail.

Continue to make payments to your credit card on time each month.

Tip

Before adding the authorized user to your card, you should discuss with him the terms and conditions of the situation. For example, if you are simply adding him to help to improve his credit score but do not want him to actually make purchases with the card, you should address this.

Warnings

If you miss payments on the credit card account, it will negatively affect your credit score and the authorized user's score.

The authorized user's bad credit won't affect your score. However, if you allow that person to use the card for purchases they are not technically responsible for the debt because you are the account holder. Only a joint account holder is also responsible for debt, not an authorized user.